Safety switch



Feb. 20, 1962 5 BROWN 3,022,406

SAFETY SWITCH Filed May 9, 1960 Fl'al li IN VEN TOR.

' FzaR y ANK EBROWN United States This invention relates to automobiles and more particularly to an accessory therefor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety switch for convenient mounting upon the dashboard of an automobile which will enable the electrical circuit of the vehicle to be completely deencrgized whenever desired.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a safety switch of the above type which can be readily and instantly actuated in case of emergency to completely open the battery circuit through the component parts of the vehicle.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a safety switch bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efiicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a safety switch made in accordance with the present invention in actual use; and

FIGURE 2 is a right end elevational view of the device shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, a safety switch made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a main body member 12 of dielectric material having a pair of electrical contacts 14, 16 secured therewithin. One of the contacts 14 is connected to the positive terminal of the vehicle battery 15, whereupon the other such contact 16 is connected directly to ground 17.

An electrical conductor in the form of a circular contact member 18 mounted upon the end of a reciprocating shaft 20, is selectively movable between a normally closed position in contact with both of the terminals 14, 16 and an open adjusted position spaced outwardly therefrom. One end of a flexible actuating shaft 22 is connected to the plunger 20, the remainder of such push and pull cable 22 being enclosed within a sheath 24 connected to the main body member 12 at one end and to a mounting bushing 26 secured to the dashboard 28 of the vehicle at the opposite end. The outermost free end of the push pull cable 22 is provided with a plunger 30 for facilitating the operation of the switch.

It will now be recognized that in actual use, the parts are in the full line position shown in FIGURE 1, in which the contact member 18 normally closes the circuit through the battery and ground 17, thus facilitating energization of the component parts of the vehicle. However, in response to an inward push upon the plunger 30, the contact member 18 is disconnected from the atent 3,922,405 Fatented Feb. 20, 1962 terminals 14, 16, thus opening the circuit through the battery and preventing energization of any of the vehicle parts or possible short circuiting thereof which might otherwise present a hazard in times of emergency.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A safety switch for the electrical system of an automotive vehicle comprising a stationary elongated body of dielectric material, said body having a horizontal, cylindrical head end portion and an integral horizontal, cylindrical rear end hub portion, said head end portion being considerably enlarged relative to said rear end portion and having a common horizontal axis with each other, a chamber formed Within said head end portion and adjacent the forward end thereof, a horizontal axial bore formed in the rearward end of said head end portion and extending from said chamber through said hub portion, a poppet valve seat arranged within the vertical wall of the forward end of said body, said valve seat joining said chamber with the forward exterior Wall of said body, a poppet valve having a fiat exterior face and an angular interior valve surface, said poppet valve arranged with said body with its stem located in said chamber and extending horizontally and rearwardly with its free end extending into said axial bore, the exterior face of said poppet valve being free from contact with any parts, said interior angular surface of said poppet valve arranged to be located adjacent said valve seat when in closed position, a pair of vertically aligned electrical conductors extending into said chamber in said head end portion from opposite side walls thereof, one of said conductors having a connection to the vehicle ground and the other one of said conductors connected to a post of the vehicle battery, said poppet valve movably mounted in said body for movement of its angular face into and-out of contact with said electrical conductors, manually operable means for controlling the position of said poppet valve, said means comprising a flexible push-pull cable enclosed within a sheath, one end of said sheath arranged in said bore in said hub portion and secured thereto, the other end of said sheath being connected to a stationary part of the vehicle, one end of said cable connected to said free end of said stem of said poppet valve, and the opposite end of said cable being accessible from the interior of the vehicle for actuating said poppet valve, whereby the electric circuit between said battery and said ground is broken when said poppet valve is moved out of contact with said electrical conductors.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,500,182 Huertas Mar. 14, 1950 2,853,627 Karl Sept. 23, 1958 2,917,611 Houston Dec. 15, 1959 

